FormatDrop
How-To Guide

How to Convert Video for Facebook

Facebook recompresses all videos, and the result depends heavily on your source. Upload a high-quality H.264 MP4 in the right aspect ratio and Facebook's compression produces a clean result. Upload a poorly formatted video and the output looks blocky and compressed. This guide covers Facebook's specs and optimal conversion settings.

Open MOV to MP4 Converter

Step-by-step instructions

  1. 1

    Facebook video specs by placement

    Feed videos: MP4 or MOV, up to 4GB, up to 240 minutes, 1280×720 minimum (up to 4K), 30fps. Facebook Reels: 9:16, 1080×1920, up to 90 seconds, MP4 recommended. Facebook Stories: 9:16, 1080×1920, up to 20 seconds. Facebook Ads video: H.264, MP4, up to 4GB, 30fps, 1:1 or 9:16 aspect ratios.

    Go to converter
  2. 2

    Recommended settings for Feed videos

    H.264 MP4, 1920×1080 (landscape) or 1080×1920 (portrait), 30fps, 8-12 Mbps video bitrate, AAC stereo 128-192 kbps. Facebook recommends a maximum 8 Mbps bitrate, but uploading at higher bitrates gives the encoder a better source.

  3. 3

    Convert with FFmpeg

    ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c:v libx264 -b:v 10M -c:a aac -b:a 192k -pix_fmt yuv420p output_facebook.mp4

  4. 4

    Convert with HandBrake

    Open in HandBrake → Video: H.264, RF 22 → Audio: AAC stereo 192 kbps → Container: MP4 → Start Encode.

Why convert MOV to MP4?

Facebook uses aggressive video compression for delivery across all connection speeds worldwide. Uploading high-quality H.264 MP4 at 8-12 Mbps gives Facebook's encoder the best source. Facebook processes uploads asynchronously — after upload, Facebook converts to multiple quality levels for adaptive streaming. The better the source, the better each adaptive quality level looks.

Your files never leave your device

FormatDrop runs the conversion engine entirely inside your browser using WebAssembly. No file upload. No server. Nothing stored. You can verify this by opening DevTools → Network tab and watching: zero upload requests.

Frequently asked questions

What video format does Facebook recommend?
Facebook recommends H.264 or H.265 MP4 with AAC audio. H.264 MP4 is the most universally processed correctly. Specific specs: Compression: H.264, Frame rate: 30fps maximum, Pixel format: YUV 4:2:0, Stereo audio: AAC, 128 kbps minimum.
Why does Facebook reduce my video quality so much?
Facebook serves billions of videos daily to users on every connection speed worldwide. Videos are compressed to multiple quality tiers (e.g., 360p, 720p, 1080p) for adaptive streaming. The source quality affects all tiers. Facebook's internal compression targets are lower bitrates than professional streaming services — this is a deliberate trade-off for storage and delivery costs at Facebook's scale.
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